TURN PAGES by clicking the arrows at the side of the page, or by using the toolbar.

ZOOM IN by clicking anywhere on the page.READ by dragging the page around when zoomed in.ZOOM OUT by clicking anywhere on the page when zoomed in.VISIT web sites or send emails by clicking on hyperlinks.

Print Page

Email this page to a friend

Search this issue

Index - jump to page or section

Archive - view past issues

Registration to Air Force News is free.Once registered you will be notified by email when new issue is published.

VEHICLE SALARY PACKAGING AT FLEETNETWORK.COM.AU 19 Sport AIR FORCE February 21, 2008 By FLGOFF Eamon Hamilton CROSSING the Tasman might seem a benign trip for most Air Force personnel. But FLTLT Andrew Johnson delivered a new twist on covering the 2200km distance last year when he rowed across the Tasman as part of a four-person team. Unaided by a support vessel, the 11m boat departed Hokianga Harbour on New Zealand's North Island on November 29 and arrived in Sydney's Neutral Bay on December 30. Their 31-day voyage was only the second time a rowing team had crossed the Tasman -- and the first time for an Australian crew. FLTLT Johnson, an Air Combat Officer with 285SQN and a veteran of several adventure races, completed the trip with fellow adventurer Steve Gates, surfboat rower Sally Macready, and State Emergency Service worker Kerry Tozer. The crew only met each other six months before the expedition, and spent an intensive period training and working on the boat every spare weekend. "We also attempted to cross Bass Strait as part of the build-up to the Tasman and that was a big shake down. We learned a lot about each other in those few days," FLTLT Johnson said. He had also completed some expedi- tion-length adventure races, and said his ADF combat survival course was a good insight into the physical and men- tal strain he would be put under. "On a personal level I did it for the adventure and also to see how far I could push myself physically and men- tally," he said. "The crossing had only been com- pleted once and that was about 30 years ago by a single rower. Several groups had tried and failed since, so it was a record that was there for the taking." The crew rowed two hours on, two hours off, with two rowers at a time. "We rowed for 12 hours a day, which obviously created some physical fatigue but also had a cumulative effect on men- tal wellbeing as the body wore down," he said. "Getting up in the middle of a storm at 2am is a nasty experience. "Our hands became covered in blis- ters, as did our bums, and any cuts and chaffing quickly turn into festering sores if not treated adequately." A small cabin on their 11m vessel provided some respite, however the boat -- constructed of balsa wood and fibre- glass -- was quickly exposed to the ele- ments. "The first few days were spent get- ting accustomed to the routine of the crossing. It wasn't until the first big storm which we hit on day six that I really thought 'man, we still have a long long way to go'," FLTLT Johnson said. That storm cost the team its sea anchor and sea drogue, and saw the boat Blue sea success take on water, which caused some anx- ious moments for the crew. "After we got through that we knew we could handle anything. The weather was incredibly unpredictable; we encountered 8m waves and 40-knot winds, which made keeping a steady and predictable rowing pace very dif- ficult. "Along the way, we broke our steer- ing and also had problems with our solar panels, which meant we couldn't use the desalinator as much as we wanted. "These were setbacks but never real- ly looked like stopping us." Their vessel also had several close encounters with large freighters on the sea lanes. "We thought we may be able to do it in 20 days but it ended up taking us 31. We spent about nine days in the cabin due to bad weather where we couldn't row, which accounts for the extra time," he said. "We were prepared for 50 days, but we would have been on some fairly severe food rationing, which would have involved putting vegetable oil on our cereal instead of milk just for the energy. "It didn't taste too bad, actually, if you put enough sugar on it." The crew came through Sydney Heads in the early hours of December 30, clearing Customs before being reu- nited with family and friends on Sydney harbour. The isolation allowed the crew to experience sights not normally observed on an aircraft crossing the Tasman. "We saw some amazing sunset vistas and wildlife in the Tasman Sea -- includ- ing sharks -- and the majesty of an angry sea, which I began to appreciate towards the end of the trip." ACO's historic Tasman crossing HAPPY HOMECOMING: FLTLT Andrew Johnson from 285SQN was part of a four-person team to cross the Tasman Sea from New Zealand to Sydney in an 11m boat. Pictured above, from left, is Kerry Tozer, FLTLT Johnson, Steve Gates and Sally Macready after arriving at Sydney. Photo courtesy of FLTLT Johnson From Page 20 Her coach John Tomlinson, who had coached her since her younger days, sparked her interest in the steeplechase, having aspired to 1974 Commonwealth Games representation himself before being ruled out by injury. PLTOFF Ponton has been steeplechasing since her under-18 days and has an under-20 title to her credit as well as running second to Tasmania's Donna MacFarlane at the nationals last year. The most challenging aspect of the steeplechase for PLTOFF Ponton, given that it is one of the long- er events on the track program, is the endurance required to successfully negotiate the steeples each time. "The water jump is the hard one," she said. Now a member of the Defence Athletics Club, she also enjoys mountain running, which she says builds up strength. She contested the 2004 world titles in Italy and the 2005 event in New Zealand. Gold chaser IN THE LONG RUN: PLTOFF Marnie Ponton has her sights set on the 2012 London Olympics. Photo by LACW Amanda Campbell